GTC East

GTC East

While technology has improved and streamlined many state and local government operations, said presenters at September's Eastern Region Government Technology Conference in Albany, N.Y., major hurdles remain, and vast new challenges approach. An estimated 7,000 people attended to celebrate successes, share ideas and plan the next battles.

SOLUTIONS

Jim Barksdale, president and CEO of Netscape Communications, keynoted the conference on Sept. 17, highlighting what the Internet has brought in terms of efficiency and return on investment to public- and private-sector organizations. Huge investment returns in Internet connectivity, however, still do not begin to reflect the improvements in quality of service resulting from many Internet-based services, he said.

The conference Solutions Center showcased many such examples of improved service and efficiency in New York State

government agencies, including the Comptroller's Office, State Thruway Authority, Department of Public Service, Office for the Aging, Department of Motor Vehicles, Center for Advanced Technology, Office of Real Property Services, Technology Enterprise Corp., Interdepartmental Committee on Electronic Data Processing, State University of New York, Emergency Management Office, Education Department, Training Council, Center for Technology in Government, Department of Social Services and more.

Also, the National League of Cities, Rhode Island Office of the Secretary of State, Rensselaer County, N.Y., Development and Planning and other public- and private-sector organizations presented their solutions.

BEST OF THE WEB

Florida repeated this year as the Best of the Web for states, followed by the Washington State Department of Transportation and the California Department of Education.

New York City took top honors in Local Government Web sites -- up from third place last year -- followed by Seattle and Indianapolis (see "Best of the Web," p.38 of this issue).

Richard Jackson and Peter Poleto with New York DMV "dummies" at the Government Solutions Center.

Sharon Mancuso of the New York State Office of Real Property Services receives special recognition from chair of the 1997 Government Technology Conference Advisory Board Richard E. Jackson. New York's latest version of its Real Property System was showcased in the Government Solutions Center.

Anthony Suraci,

Industry Advisor

from The Gartner

Group.

Lisa Thiel, sales

manager for GT Press.

Solution Center award-winners Amy Jones and Nathan King for the New York State Center for Advance Technology in Automation and Robotics.

Peter Poleto, Information Resource Management director for New York Department of Motor Vehicles.

Also receiving special recognition are Jennifer Depew and Angel Castro of the New York State Training Council for Tele-Training in NYS Government, a project to increase the state's ability to educate its employees using new technologies.